1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to back support devices, and in particular to a device which combines stretching exercise movements and seated back support in a single device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As described in my previous U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,106, when an individual is seated upright on a flat surface without a back support, such a position becomes uncomfortable due to the lack of support at the lumbar region. This is particularly true for people with poor posture and/or a weak back structure. For people who sit in upright positions for long periods of time, the back support disclosed in the aforementioned patent used a padded back support sized to fit the lumbar region of a user connected to a pair of inelastic straps which extend from the ends of the support and terminate in loops to engage the knees of the user. The pressure of the user's knees and legs pulls the support member against the lumbar region, thereby providing sufficient support to enable the user to sit in upright positions for extended periods. Athletes who perform various stretching exercises have a need for back support throughout the entire stretching motion. Heretofore the prior art has failed to provide adequate back support for the various positions necessary for a proper stretching program as is provided by the present invention.
Additional prior art includes my U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,083,554 and 4,813,080 and patents to Wildermuth (U.S. Pat. No. 2,280,274) and Stevens (U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,517). The prior art references fail to provide for a device which provides back support while performing stretching exercising. The references further fail to provide for a multiconfigurable device which provides back support while in a plurality of positions: seated with the legs extended, seated with the legs crossed and/or in the usual upright seated position. Additionally, none of the prior art systems have the strap and buckle configuration of the present invention.